A humidity exchanger element dehumidifies gas by sorption mechanism of the desiccants such as aluminum oxide-silicate or titanium silicate/titanium-aluminum silicate.
According to U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,769, the elements can be included in a sheet composed of inorganic fiber, or can be included in a device formed by the sheet.
However, the conventional humidity exchanger element necessitates regeneration at excessively elevated temperatures (approximately 90˜150° C.). In addition, the element has demerits that a sorption capacity thereof is limited and that it causes a large amount of pressure loss of supply air for being dehumidified. Also, a sorption capacity of the humidity exchanger element is decreased over time, that is, the element is greatly influenced by aging.
Also, nucleus and bio-film are formed while the element dehumidifies, thereby closing pores of the humidity exchanger element.
According to G. Heinrich's paper entitled “sorption-supported air-conditioning” published by the C.F. Müller Publishing Company in 1997, the dehumidifying element is made by containing lithium chloride in corrugated cardboard, wherein hygroscopic characteristics of the lithium chloride are used for dehumidifying.
However, The humidity exchanger element containing lithium chloride can not be used in highly humid environment. This is because the lithium chloride tends to liquefy after absorbing the moisture in the air especially in a highly humid condition.
That is, when a solid lithium chloride is changed into a liquid lithium chloride and the cellulose, the carrier thereof, comes to be unable to absorb and maintain the liquid lithium chloride due to its limited sorption capacity, then excessive liquid lithium chloride is dripping away from the element resulting in a reduced content of the lithium chloride in the element.